PREFACE
Two years in the planning, the symposium on Wildland Fire 2000 was held April 27-30, 1987, at Stanford Sierra Camp on Fallen Leaf Lake, near Lake Tahoe, California. We first proposed the symposium in spring 1985 to Charles W. Philpot, who was then Director of Forest Fire and Atmospheric Sciences Research of the Forest Service, at the Conference on Fire Management--Challenge of Protection and Use, in Utah. He became the first supporter of the symposium. In addition to the Forest Service, sponsors were the Bureau of Land Management and the National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior; California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection; International Union of Forestry Research Organizations; the Society of American Foresters; and the University of California. during the symposium. Use of the ICS also provided the chance to familiarize those outside the fire service with its structure and function. The logo for the conference was developed to represent three basic aspects of wildland fire management: public needs, resource management, and education/research. Because the combustion and fire behavior triangles are well known, we used a triangle as the basis of the logo, with the three sides representing the three different aspects of fire management. Lest it appear that this arrangement put the three groups at odds with each other, we made the triangle from a Moebius band. Thus, the three groups are on the same face of the band, as one would find by actually tracing around it. Indeed, all three groups are on the same side of Many individual fire agencies have the problem, trying to reduce the negative held futuring sessions to discuss their particular problems and visions, so why a impacts of wildfire and to increase the positive effects of fire use. symposium? Wildland Fire 2000 brought Understandably, all do not always see the together practitioners, scientists, problem in the same light, but then, one educators, and the public from several of the purposes of Wildland Fire 2000 was countries to consider the possible, probable, and preferred status of wildland to see each other's viewpoint more clearly. fire management and science in the year 2000 and beyond. The organizing committee The technical sessions began with the thought the symposium could pull together a broader range of persons with expertise needs of the public--the logical starting point of the conference. The next session or concerns about the future of wildland dealt with the response of management to fire. On the basis of the attendance, it these needs, as well as the needs of succeeded. management. The third session addressed the response of the education and research The organizing committee was formed communities and their needs. The next using the Incident Command System (ICS) session was devoted to nine individual with duties assigned as suggested in an organization chart developed by Delmer L. futuring groups, each of which outlined its perception of trends, visions, and Albright of the California Department of strategies for a specific subject area. Forestry and Fire Protection (see his The individual futuring sessions were paper, these proceedings). This considered by many to be a highlight of organization worked well, implicitly the symposium. The futuring session was assigning duties to each member of the followed by one on interactive or organizing committee and providing a structure for handling problems that arose international concerns, and the final iii
Internationally, many problems are foreseen in the developing nations. Their populations and demands for goods and services are increasing, as are the damages from wildfire. Loss of tropical and subtropical forests is occurring, often with use of fire, and generally policies are inadequate to cope with wildland fire. A bright spot is the improving program in international assistance for natural disasters. session was a report by the individual futuring groups. The needs of the public were discussed from a sociological viewpoint, both in terms of long-term trends and short-term demographic changes. The projected nature of wildlands as well as the impacts of fire on them and public perception of these effects are important concerns of managers. Smoke management is becoming more constraining. Eventually, planning will include fire considerations at the local level, as government and the public become more aware of the problems of dealing with vegetation/structural fires. Great improvement in the efficiency and effectiveness of fire management is foreseen over the next several years. Much of the improvement in efficiency will be dictated by more stringent budgets and budgeting processes. Better planning, involvement of local agencies, and sharing of resources among all protection agencies will be major factors in improving efficiency and effectiveness. Technical improvement in techniques and equipment will contribute to the improvement in management. The education and research community sees several areas for improvement in the products available to management and the public. Weather forecasting, fire behavior prediction, and fire effects information should all lead to improved fire management. The field of artificial intelligence and its subfields of natural language, robotics, and expert systems, along with rapid improvements in computers, will result in better accumulation, assimilation, and use of acquired knowledge. The results of Wildland Fire 2000, we anticipate, will be a revitalization of efforts to improve fire management. In the logo, the phoenix is depicted as rising from the flames, not so much to indicate that we have been burned in the past, but more to symbolize revitalization of our efforts to suppress and use fire more wisely in cooperative efforts. These cooperative efforts among the public, management, and education/research should lead to better protection and management of wildland resources and the related wildland-urban interface. Wildland Fire 2000 provided an interagency, interdisciplinary, and international look at wildland fire in the future. It was not the first and will not be the last futuring meeting to deal with wildland fire. A sequel to this symposium is scheduled at Fallen Leaf Lake for spring 2001. Robert E. Martin University of California, Berkeley James B. Davis Pacific Southwest Forest and Range Experiment Station, Riverside, California Technical Coordinators
iv
Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-101 Berkeley, CA. Pacific Southwest Forest and Range
Experiment Station, Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture; 1987.
Adapting the Incident Command System to Meeting
1
or Conference Management
Delmer L. Albright2
The incident Command System (ICS) is 3. Planning Meetings perfectly adapted to managing a large meeting or 4. Visualization conference. The primary purposes for using ICS 5. Logistics are these: (1) The staff needed for a 6. Active Participants conference is already developed and duties are 7. Time Schedule well outlined; (2) the incident management 8. Social Activities process (including forms) is readily adaptable 9. Checks and Double checks to a conference; and (3) the ICS system is 10. Professionalism gaining wide acceptance and makes a large meeting or conference much easier to conduct. Each ingredient is discussed below. This paper provides procedures, samples and recommendations for the meeting/conference Incident Commander to design a conference and Staff
develop an ICS organization. The information Develop an ICS staff and "staff up" just
and samples contained herein are taken from over a dozen conferences that used the ICS like for an emergency incident. Fill positions
organization. as the incident expands. Plan ahead and assign staff in the early stages of conference planning if at all possible. As a minimum, at the start
of any large meeting/conference planning
KEY INGREDIENTS session, the following staff is required: Based on conference critiques and participant evaluations, there appear to be Incident Commander 10-key ingredients to a successful ICS Operations Section Chief conference: Logistics Section Chief Operation staff may include any of the ICS positions, but the most common are these: 1. Staff 2. Game Plan Finance Section Chief Information/Press Office Planning Section Chief 1
Prepared for the Proceedings of the Facilities Unit Leader Symposium on Wildland Fire 2000, April 27-30, 1987, South Lake Tahoe, California. One major mistake is waiting too long before 2
Deputy Logistics Chief, Symposium on including key staff in the planning process. Wildland Fire 2000; and Presuppression Division For example, registration procedures should be developed with the Registration staff. Chief, California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, San Andreas. California. v
ICS staff organization for Wildland Fire 2000. Game Plan
through each step; from developing the announcement, to parking, to walking up to the Write and publish a Game Plan. The Game registration table, to leaving the conference. Plan should be built around the agenda and Visualization is most useful in the initial provide a complete listing of duties to be planning stages. performed by each staff person and at what time. Game Plan is a conference term of the As each step is visualized, make a flip tactics of the Incident Action Plan. chart list of the various duties (tasks) that need to be performed. It is usually helpful to The Incident Action Plan, which includes the assign these duties to someone on the staff at Game Plan, tells the staff what is expected of the same time. them and their roles in the incident. It clarifies lines of communication and chain of For example, while visualizing the command as appropriate. It also serves as a registration process, ask yourself "what would I reference document for future similar efforts. need/want to know about registration if I were attending the conference?" Then develop the
flip charts. They might look like this: Planning Meetings
Conduct a planning meeting as soon as ***************************** possible in the early stages of conference Facilities Unit Leader development. At least gather the minimum ICS staff together and begin organizing the - determine hotel primary conference details. It is usually beneficial to contact include as many staff as possible in planning - obtain hotel menu sessions due to the value of group - arrange for registration brainstorming. As a general rule, a planning table and chairs meeting should be held once every day during a - find out about parking conference. restrictions Logistics Section Chief Visualization
- request logistics staff Visualization is a process that is very - develop logistics handout helpful in planning conferences. The common for registration packet slogan that comes from the military is "Close - develop lunch menu your eyes and visualize." It means imagining the entire conference by mentally walking ***************************** vi
For each step of the conference, repeat this Participation can be in several forms: process. If practical, assign due dates to small group breakout meeting; futuring important tasks right on the flip chart lists. exercises; concurrent panel sessions; small Have the flip charts typed and incorporated into group discussions; "round-robin" lecturettes; the Game Plan. Send a copy to everyone on the and others where the participants are moving staff. If desired, it is then easy to develop a around and doing something besides listening. time schedule for conference planning. Alternating between conference papers and small group exercises is an effective way to keep the For large and complex conferences with large participants alert, interested, and involved. planning staffs, especially from different agencies, sometimes it is helpful to summarize Participation can lead to ownership in the staff assignments on one page. outcome. Ownership can result in continued communication after the conference. Continued communication gives life to the conference and Logistics
makes it more meaningful than just a couple days out of the office. If anything can mess up a conference, logistics can. They must be as smooth as silk. Most importantly, the logistics section must be Time Schedule
solely responsible for dealing with the Everything needs to stay on time. People conference facility. If too many people begin giving instructions to the facility judge conferences by the timeliness of events. representative, then confusion is inevitable. Participants and speakers should be given an ONLY ONE PERSON SHOULD HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY agenda (time schedule), and it should be AND AUTHORITY TO COORDINATE DIRECTLY WITH THE followed. The most important times to adhere to FACILITY REPRESENTATIVE.
are the starting and ending times of the This person should conference because of travel arrangements. work for the Logistics Section Chief who would be informed of what is going on, and be the back up contact. A Facilities Unit Leader can be a Social Activities
good choice for a primary facility contact. Design social activities into the A Logistics Plan may be written. It can be incorporated into the Game Plan or be part of conference. Start in an afternoon so there can the Incident Action Plan. It should cover all be a social activity the first night. This logistical details important to the staff, tends to initiate communication and draw the including meals, rooms, travel, supplies, participants closer together as a group. For requisitioning, lodging, inclement weather, extended conferences at known recreational registration, mailing, and finances (if sites, design time into the agenda to enjoy free coordinated with the Finance Chief). time. People will tend to do it whether or not you include it. Active Participants
Checks and Double Checks
According to the experience of the authors. Murphy's Law is alive and well in conference the most successful conferences are those that are participative to some extent. This means planning. Every key staff person should spend a having the participants actually do something lot of time checking and double checking besides listen to presentations. The entire details. The Logistics Section is especially conference doesn't have to be participative; prone to problems. A-V equipment, room just some element of it to add a dimension arrangements, and meal times seem to be very susceptible to mix-ups and let-downs. beyond listening to papers. In a 3-day conference, 1 day of participative activities can be sufficient to make the conference a notable success. vii
Professionalism
locations and group topics can be specified. This is completed by the OPS Section Chief. A conference should be conducted like a business with professionalism in the staff as an uppermost concern. Poor logistics and even confusion can be overcome by a courteous and professional staff. Incident Radio Communication Plan; ICS Form 205 This is the ideal from for assigning radios and call signs where appropriate. It is completed by the Communications Unit Leader. Handi-talkie radios can be very useful in conference management. INCIDENT ACTION PLAN The ICS forms associated with the Incident Action Plan (IAP) are quite appropriate for conducting a conference. The IAP is written early in the planning stages or on site just like during a major emergency incident. The Operations Section Chief can fill both roles. Medical Plan; ICS Form 206 A Medical Plan is a good idea for any conference. It is completed by the Medical Unit Leader. Here are examples of using the ICS forms to 3
develop an Incident Action Plan.
Check In; ICS Form 211 Incident Briefing; ICS Form 201 This form is used especially to check in staff. Specific items of equipment, such as flip charts easels and staff room locations, can be identified by making minor modifications to the form. Registration personnel complete this form. Form 201 is used for conference location, dates, and chain of command. Incident Objectives; ICS Form 202 Be as specific as possible when developing objectives, but such statements as "logistically smooth," and "professional image" are OK. If appropriate, specify objectives like "develop 10-key issues." Operational Planning Worksheet; ICS Form 215 This form can be used with some modifications. Columns can be relabeled to assign team leaders, facilitators, Division Supervisors. etc. It can also be used by the Supply Unit Leader to distribute and account for items like flip charts and easels. Organizational Assignment List; ICS Form 203 When the staff arrives at the conference, specify staff assignments within the ICS structure. People may occupy more than one job. For example, the Medical Unit Leader can also be the Safety Officer. The Service Branch Director may also fill the Communications Unit Leader Job. If attendees are broken into teams/small groups, assign Division Supervisors to coordinate them. Support Vehicle Inventory; ICS Form 218 To be filled out by the Ground Support Unit Leader. This form keeps track of staff vehicles in the event shuttles are necessary. DEMOBILIZATION PLAN Division Assignment List; ICS Form 204 Besides the Incident Action Plan, the Demobilization Plan is another useful ICS document. It is completed by the Demobilization Unit Leader. This form ensures everyone on the staff goes home with all their bills paid, keys and supplies turned in, and on time. A one-page check-out form can be developed that standardizes the check-out procedures for each staff member. This form is especially useful for small group/team breakouts. Teamleaders, meeting 3
Samples of the forms are available from the author. viii
The demobilization plan should include five * communications (radio, phone) sections: * services, support, maintenance * medical plan 1.
General--discussion of demobilization * ordering, receiving, distributing procedures. * security 2.
* vehicles/parking/signs Responsibilities--specific duties and activities. 3.
Release Priority--according to agency, travel distance and other priorities. 4.
Finance Section Chief
Release Procedures--process to be * paying bills followed. * budgeting * cost analysis * contract administration STAFF RESPONSIBILITIES * staff time keeping ICS conference staff responsibilities * compensation classes usually are divided as follows: * honorarium disbursements Planning Section Chief
Incident Commander
* overall guidance; direction * Incident Action Plan * "politicking" * resources status * key-staff supervision * situation status * strategy development/implementation * conference documentation * maybe serving as Program Chair * demobilization supervision * arranging for speakers * specialist consultant supervision * acting as or appointing Safety Officer * planning meetings * IC support * press/public relations Operations Section Chief
* press room * information table * staff coordination/supervision * news releases * agenda (program) * VIP's and dignitaries * maybe serving as Program Chair * writing Game Plan (tactics) Other positions should be filled, as * maybe supervising Facilitators appropriate, with duties corresponding to a * developing conference organization similar position on an emergency incident using * trouble shooting ICS. Consult the Incident Command System * monitoring time schedule publication ICS 420-1, Field Operations Guide for further details. Logistics Section Chief
SUMMARY * facility coordination * menus and meals ICS is well suited to conference * supplies management. It provides for a smooth, * A-V equipment well-organized conference, with most of the * lodging and rooms organizational work already developed. * writing logistics plan * registration/information Like any sophisticated management system, * messages the use of ICS requires trained personnel in the * travel * spousal programs key staff positions. But the effectiveness of ICS is worth the effort to establish it. ix
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The members of the organizing
committee were largely responsible for the
success of the symposium. Robert E.
Martin, University of California, headed
the committee. Carol Rice, Wildland
Resource Management, served as
coordinator, capably and cheerfully
handling a wide range of duties.
Jim Davis, Pacific Southwest Forest
and Range Experiment Station, served as
Planning Section Chief with a major
responsibility being preparation and
compilation of the papers in these
Proceedings. Roberta Burzynski, also of
the Station, edited and coordinated the
individual papers. Robert E. Martin
helped compile the Proceedings.
Ray Stewart, California Department of
Forestry and Fire Protection, was Chief of
the Logistics Section. In addition to
their participation in the planning
process, the logistics crew handled all
the on-site needs for the symposium. Del
Albright, CDF, arranged for the
facilitators and recorders for the
futuring session. Elaine Bianco, Bureau
of Land Management, handled lodging and
with Betty Bechtel, California Department
of Forestry and Fire Protection,
registered participants. Under Ray's able
guidance, Jim Mierkey, Rich Schell, Don
Perkins, Wayne Mitchell, and Glen Lee--all
of the California Department of Forestry
and Fire Protection--kept everything
running smoothly.
Chris Cameron, National Park Service,
served as Finance Section Chief,
overseeing all monetary transactions.
Pat Kidder, Bureau of Land Management,
served as Operations Section Chief,
assisted by Dick Harrell, Pacific
Southwest Region, Forest Service.
A keynote address by Ralph Cisco,
Supervisor, Tahoe Basin Interagency
Management Unit, Forest Service, and a
x
welcoming address by Gerald Partain,
Director, California Department of
Forestry and Fire Protection, started the
meeting off with a flourish. The session
chairs ably kept the conference moving
along smoothly, handling all the sessions
with aplomb. Session chairs were Don
Grant, Michigan Department of Natural
Resources; Management Response and
Needs--Bill Teie, California Department of
Forestry and Fire Protection; Research
Response and Needs--Peter Roussopoulos,
Forest Fire and Atmospheric Sciences
Research Staff, Forest Service; Futuring
Sessions by Topics in Small Groups--Jack
Wilson, Bureau of Land Management; and for
Interactive Papers with International
Focus--Phil Cheney, Commonwealth
Scientific and Industrial Research
Organization, Canberra, Australia.
The small group futuring sessions,
which were a highlight of the meeting,
were successful largely due to the
excellent efforts of the facilitators and
recorders: Gary Brittner, Stan Craig, Don
Escher, Frank Goddard, George Haines, Fred
Imhoff, Tim McCammon, Tom Osipowich, Chris
Parker, Wendell Reeves, Jesse Rios, Bob
Robeson, Chris Schrowe, Bill Schultz, Bob
Signor, Dan Ward, Ed Wristen--California
Department of Forestry and Fire
Protection; and Karen Barnette, Lorna
Burleson, Howard Carlson, Ken Larsen,
Nancy Mac, Christy Neil, Joanne Roubique,
Randy Scurry, Karen Shimamoto, and Scott
Vail--Forest Service. The following
individuals compiled the futuring reports
from notes recorded during the small group
sessions: Wayne Harrison, Clinton
Phillips, John Hatcher, Don Latham,
Charles George, Joe Rawitzer, James Davis,
Patricia Andrews, and Johann Goldammer.
Alex Dimitrakopoulos, Mark Finney,
Paula Minton, and Dave Sapsis, graduate
students from the University of
California, timed the speakers and
operated projectors during the
presentations.
The friendly and capable staff of
Stanford Sierra Camp helped make the
symposium work by providing satisfying
meals and accomodations [sic].
shared their thoughts through their
presentations, contributed to the
discussions, and gave their ideas for the
futuring reports.
Finally, the most important component
of the symposium was the participants, who
We thank all these people for the
success of the symposium.
xi